Podcast | Lee Tiger Halley (Beast of War) – Today on TV Central: One on One, we catch up with a good friend of the show — Lee Tiger Halley.
The last time Lee joined us, we shared a heartfelt conversation about his family, his career, and the strength that drives him. It was clear then — and it’s even clearer now — that Lee isn’t just a brilliant actor, but a genuinely grounded and inspiring person.
Now, he’s back with an incredible new project — Beast of War, directed by Kiah Roache-Turner. It’s one of the boldest Australian films of the year: a gripping World War II survival thriller inspired by true events off the coast of Western Australia.
It’s a story of courage, sacrifice, and brotherhood — where the real danger isn’t just from the skies, but from beneath the waves.
🎬 What We Discuss in This Episode
- Lee’s career journey — from Boy Swallows Universe to Beast of War, Seven Snipers, and his upcoming role as Bon Scott in an AC/DC biopic.
- His first reaction to the Beast of War script — and what made the story so powerful.
- The real-life events of 1942 that inspired the film and shaped his performance.
- How Lee prepared mentally and physically for the film’s brutal, emotional challenges.
- Why Beast of War is more than a shark thriller — it’s about heart, courage, and mateship.
- Behind the scenes: acting alongside a full-scale animatronic great white shark.
- Working with visionary director Kiah Roache-Turner (Wyrmwood, Sting).
- The demanding physical conditions — long water shoots, stunts, and exhaustion.
- Building authentic bonds with castmates and creating real-life brotherhood.
- How Beast of War could redefine Australian cinema for global audiences.
- Sneak peek: upcoming projects Seven Snipers and the Bon Scott biopic.
- What roles Lee dreams of taking on next.
Beast of War – now screening in cinemas
Link to Lee Tiger Halley’s Instagram HERE
Link to previous Lee Tiger Halley podcast HERE
TV Central Movie previews content HERE
Thank to Leigh-Anne Ramirez for organising this podcast
Pick your player below. The podcast is also available through Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon, iheart Radio and more
About the Movie
This Thursday October 9 marks the arrival of one of the biggest and boldest Australian films of the year – a high-stakes thriller that cranks up the genre into a brutal fight for life – where the enemy isn’t just in the skies, but circling beneath the waves. Survival is the only victory.
From cult filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner (Wyrmwood, Sting), Beast of War revisits a little-known moment of World War II history. Inspired by true events off the coast of Western Australia in 1942 – when a troop carrier was sunk and survivors were attacked by sharks – the film follows a group of young servicemen adrift in the Timor Sea after a Japanese airstrike.
As the remaining soldiers battle fire, exhaustion and fear in the open waters, a great white shark begins to circle the wreckage, turning the sea into a killing ground.
What begins as a war film explodes into a no-holds- barred, blood-soaked tale of brotherhood, sacrifice and sheer survival.
Led by Mark Coles Smith (Mystery Road: Origin, Apple Cider Vinegar) with a supporting cast of fresh talent on the rise, including Joel Nankervis (Red Belly), Sam Delich (Spiderhead, Ten Pound Poms), Aswan Reid (The New Boy) and Lee Tiger Halley (Boy Swallows Universe), Beast of War is a war epic like no other.
Practical effects take centre stage, with a full-scale animatronic great white – the most sophisticated ever built – bringing ferocious realism to the screen and creating a raw intensity rarely seen in contemporary cinema.
Forged from history and driven by spectacle, Beast of War explodes in a collision of fire, steel and blood while an unexpected new enemy lurks in the depths.
“Beast of War arguably offers the best onscreen shark to come along since Jaws.”
★★★★
BLOODY DISGUSTING
“This smashingly well-paced and gung-ho film feels like it exists on the edge of consciousness – not quite reality, not entirely a nightmare.”
★★★★
THE GUARDIAN
“A snappy WWII nightmare on water.”
★★★★
SCREENHUB
Beast of War – now screening in cinemas
Images of Lee Tiger Halley
Andrew Mason, Sophie Wilde, Zac Burgess, Lee Tiger Halley, Phoebe Tonkin
(Image Credit: Getty Images)
Image Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
